The Secret of Cue
by fiftyshadesofawkward
Summary: Throughout his entire immortal existence, Jack Frost has only known North, Bunnymund, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy. Now sixty years after being instated as a Guardian, Jack learns that there are other Legendaries that roam the earth. But why has Jack only heard of them now? And what could Pitch Black possibly want with them?
1. Needing Space

**Hey, guys! This is my first fanfic' for **_**Rise of the Guardians**_**! I saw the movie a couple of days ago and can't get it out of my head! As I was watching it, I couldn't help but wonder what the other Ledgendaries would look and act like.**

**So I decided to start this project, as a sort of practice for me to keep loose. Updates probably won't be fast, but they'll be worth it ****(I hope)****.**

**.S.o.C.**

**1. Needing Space**

The sky was an overcast, silvery color. It matched the snow that blanketed the ground. Small snowflakes fluttered across the empty space, and seemed to intensify the quiet that stretched out across the North Pole. Yes, everything looked picture-perfect and peaceful.

On the outside of North's workshop, of course.

Inside was an entirely different issue.

The sounds of banging from the Yetis as they assembled doll houses and robots and any other toy imaginable rang out throughout the workshop. Footsteps, grunts of acknowledgement or conversation were also just as deafening. Adding to the chaotic symphony was the occasional electrical frying sound followed by a surprised and pained yelp from an Elf. It was enough to drive anyone insane.

And by anyone, mainly Jack Frost was the most annoyed.

He pulled the hood of his hoodie over his hair, hoping the thin fabric would muffle the sound. It didn't do much, but he guessed it would be enough. He tried to close his eyes again –

_Kzzzzrrrrrttt!_

"_Yow!_"

Jack's eyes snapped open in that instant, then narrowed dangerously. Elves: the bane of Jack Frost's existence. Didn't they realize the people that actually worked here needed sleep?

Bringing in that ice storm to Chicago had been a three-day effort. Not that Chicago really needed more ice, but, for some reason, that city managed to get on his nerves, so it seemed like a good enough excuse. Either way, Jack was exhausted.

Sighing, he rolled himself on his side, scowling from his perch in the upper rafters of the workshop. From where he was, he could see the Elves still messing around with one of their latest 'inventions,' laughing all the while. Jack scoffed. It just wasn't normal to be so happy without any reason.

"Idiots." He muttered to himself before kicking his staff into his hand, and pitching himself off of the rafter. He only dropped a foot or so before he gained his bearings, and glided effortlessly down to the stone ground. His bare feet met the rough surface without a sound.

He landed near the Elves and got a better look at their latest 'idea.' It somehow _still_ consisted of one of them being electrocuted. It was a small silver object with an oval shape to it, and two brown leather straps. To Jack, it looked like some sort of personal Elf-jetpack.

It must have had a short fuse, because the ground underneath it was black, and there was a burned Elf hovering nearby. Jack looked at the scorched Elf in question, who had a stupid grin on its face when it saw Jack looking at the jetpack. Jack rolled his eyes and gently pushed past him with the end of his staff.

Usually the Elves could prove to be a little bit funny, but not today. Today the teenaged winter spirit was only interested in three things. Peace. Quiet. And sleep.

It had been sixty years since Jack Frost had been instated as a Guardian. Sixty long years of living up to responsibilities (which apparently included him dividing his time equally between being a winter spirit and dealing with the sudden closeness of so many people at one time).

It wasn't that he didn't mind being a Guardian. In fact, that was the opposite. He was happy. He'd found his center, something he didn't think would ever happen. Even weirder still, he got a family out of it. Jack liked being able to rely on three very powerful, very trustworthy spirits who only looked out for his best interests. It was a nice change from spending three hundred years alone and lost. But sometimes it was a little uncomfortable, having so many people doting on him like he was a baby. It made him realize he wasn't used to the idea of feeling so… committed to something.

"_Jack_!" A deep voice bellowed.

Or some people.

Jack tensed at that voice, his fingers tightening on his staff. It pulsed underneath his pressure, ready to be used for attack. Or defense. Whatever worked today, really.

He turned to see a large man sauntering towards him with long gray hair and a beard to match. He was burly, dressed completely in red, and had blue eyes that darted around the workshop in excitement.

North.

Jack quickly relaxed. North didn't seem annoyed with him today (maybe he didn't see Chicago yet). "What's up?"

North clapped his hands excitedly. "It's good you're here!" The man said, his rolling Russian accent ringing out above all other noise. "I have important question for you!"

What could it hurt? "Yeah?"

"I have a child who only has one thing on his wish list." North continued. "He wants it to snow on Christmas day."

"You do realize Christmas was two months ago, right?" Jack asked, frowning.

"Ah, of course, _moy drug_! But children never stop wishing, yes?" North grinned. "And seeing as you control the snowy weather, perhaps we can make a team to give this boy his wish!"

Wait, what? Hold on. Jack's brows furrowed at that. Jack Frost did _not_ do Christmas. He did icicles and frozen ponds and ice and _frost_. Not picturesque blankets of snow with fat, fluffy flakes falling from the sky. Well, at least not during most Christmases, and especially _not_ by request. It wasn't his job to give kids their Christmas wish. That was North's.

Jack struggled for a way to politely decline the offer, but was only coming up empty. Crap. "Yeah, um… I'll think about it." He supplied lamely. "Christmas isn't for a few months, and I've got to do other things. You know, Mother Nature can't do everything."

Yeah, that would work. North wasn't saying no. But the look of disappointment on his face was enough to make Jack regret his decision, and at the same time stick by it.

It wasn't that he didn't mind helping out the spirits every once in a while. It wasn't like he was doing anything really worthwhile. He didn't have his own major holiday to prepare for. People were still only just beginning to think Jack Frost was more than some weird saying.

And they were only small favors, too. Helping organize teeth with the Tooth Fairy, handling the sleigh during the occasional Christmas when North had too much on his hands, even helping Bunnymund hide Easter eggs (but that was only twice ever, and not really something Jack thought counted).

But this? Helping North make a Christmas gift for a kid? Jack wasn't a Yeti. He was a winter spirit. Just because he didn't have a holiday didn't mean he was going to be everyone's servant.

"Anyway, I have to go." Jack went on, taking a few steps backward. He tipped to the side and out of the way just before his foot could squash one of the Elves. Damn things. "I should probably check on Chicago."

Suddenly, the doors to the workshop burst open, making him jump. Someone else was coming? Now?

"Jack!" A feminine voice called excitedly, followed by a flash of vibrant feathers. Jack could only brace himself for the hug that was definitely going to end him –

"_Oof!_"

Jack stumbled back one step before regaining his bearings. "Hey, Toothiana." Jack said, smiling a little as the Tooth Fairy's hands immediately reached for his jaw. He rolled his eyes as she peered into his mouth, humoring her. Probably looking over his molars and incisors, whichever ones those were.

"You've been doing a great job with your teeth!" She beamed as she hovered back from him. Jack could smile a little at that. "As always!"

Her gaze then darted towards North, and just when Jack thought her smile wouldn't get bigger, it did. "Hi, North! Oh, did I come at a bad time? I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk to Jack –"

"It's fine." Jack said quickly so North wouldn't have to explain. The man would probably tell Tooth the whole story, and she'd guilt-trip Jack into making a snow day for one kid's Christmas. "What'd you need?"

Tooth's smile lit up her features again as she focused on him. "I was wondering if you could do a tooth run tonight. A few of my Baby Teeth haven't been feeling so good and –"

"What?" Jack asked, his eyebrows shooting up. If making snow as a Christmas present wasn't his job, collecting teeth _definitely_ wasn't. "Since when do Baby Teeth get sick?"

Tooth shifted, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Well, um… it's just…"

"Just what, Toothiana?" Jack asked. When she didn't meet his eyes, he looked at North. "What's going on? You guys hardly ever ask for help."

"We know," North defended, "It's just that lately –"

"Lately you don't really seem like yourself, Jack." Toothiana supplied, clasping her small hands together.

Jack frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're quiet." North answered. "Too quiet. This past year you've barely done anything, seen any of us, only gave out handful of snow days this year. Mortals are beginning to think it is global _warming_! It seems like since Jamie died –"

"It's not about that." Jack snapped.

"It's all right if it is, Jack." Toothiana quickly intervened. She fluttered forward to rest a light hand on his shoulder. "He was the first mortal who believed in you. We've all gone through your pain."

Jack looked into Tooth's eyes, seeing nothing but sympathy there. That was the _last_ thing he wanted.

"He lived a good life –"

"Just stop!" Jack jerked out from under her hand. Toothiana's mouth formed a small 'o' in shock, but her expression quickly fell into one of sadness. Jack gripped his staff tighter, feeling it pulse with his spiking temper. "So what if that happened? He was _mortal_, that's how it works. Just because I'm a Guardian doesn't mean that any of you know me all of a sudden."

He immediately turned around then, setting a brisk pace towards the front doors of North's workshop.

"Jack!" North barked.

But he was outside then. Jack could feel his eyes pricking, his throat closing. He wasn't going to lose his cool in front of Tooth or North or the Yetis. And _especially_ not the Elves.

"Just _back off_!" Jack retorted, before shooting up into the air and away from the workshop.

**.S.o.C.**

**So… yeah. Wanna comment?**


	2. Cue

**Hi, guys! Here's the next chapter! I'm almost done with my courses for the semester, so that means more time to write! Yay!**

**.S.o.C.**

**2. Cue**

Un-freaking-believable.

Jack walked through his familiar forest, his bare feet brushing through the snow. He could barely feel the cold, and occasionally tapped nearby trees with his staff. Frost would lace around it immediately. It always brought him a little thrill when he could do that. Unfortunately, the thrill was a little muted because of what happened earlier today.

He still couldn't believe it. North and the Tooth Fairy – conspiring against him like that? All because he didn't really put a lot of effort into the snow this year. He thought he was being nice. He thought the humans could use a milder winter. Besides Chicago, of course. Chicago could suck it.

Was it really because of –?

No, _no_. Jack couldn't think about that now. He wasn't going to be some wimpy loser and start crying then and there. It was still too soon. He'd deal with it when he could, and not a second before.

He slammed his staff against another tree, putting a little more force into it than necessary. The tree's trunk was instantly incased in ice, crackling vindictively in response. He glared back at the ice, twirling his staff and stabbing it into the deep layers of snow.

The wind breezed through the trees then, almost casually. It brushed against Jack's clothes, and gently pushed against him, prodding him to his left.

He snorted, continuing on his course. "Not now." He growled.

But the wind was persistent. It continued to push him to his left, growing a little stronger when he wouldn't go his way.

At a particularly hard gust against Jack's face, he sliced his staff through the air. "Quit it!" He snapped.

That was when he heard it.

Faintly.

Notes zinged through the air, belonging to the tinny wail of a harmonica. It pierced the silence of his woods. There was also singing, but it was so far away Jack couldn't make out the words.

Furrowing his brows, Jack pitched himself forward, allowing the wind to push him towards the sound.

He was surprised to see his pond. The place where everything ended and began at the same time. It was frozen over from his latest blizzard. His attitude this morning probably caused it. For some reason, these woods were very susceptible to his mood. Weirdly enough, Jack had been trying to get to it. If not for the wind, he would've gone the wrong way.

Definitely weird.

And weirder still, the music seemed to be coming from a tree near his pond. He saw the source then. It was some sort of radio-CD player. It hung by a strap on one of the low lying branches of his trees. He could hear the driving beat of drums and tambourines, as well as that wailing harmonica coming from it. And then a velvety voice hit the air.

_Love, love me do!_

_You know, I love you!_

_I'll always be true!_

_So please…_

_Love me do…_

_Love me do…_

Jack scowled. Who was messing with _his woods_? He wanted quiet. Peace. Quiet. And sleep. If this place wasn't sacred, which place would be?

It was probably just a bunch of teenagers trying to escape from the town nearby. Their little escapade wouldn't last long, though. Jack could change the temperature here at the drop of a hat. They'd leave in no time if he had anything to say about it.

He gripped his staff tighter, feeling the familiar pulse of energy as he stalked forward –

A bright red line darted across the length of the pond as soon as he did that. Jack froze, following the line in a moment of slight stupor.

The red line was an arrow, looking like it was covered in weird reddish flames. It hit the trunk of a tree, its tip burying deep in the bark. Jack immediately backpedaled at that, baring his staff in front of him and squaring his stance. He moved back into the cover of the forest, glancing at the tree to see the arrow suddenly disappear in a puff of reddish haze.

"What in the Moon –?" He asked, unable to keep the phrase to himself.

Suddenly, he saw a figure drop into the near center of the pond. Jack flinched at the loud pound he heard at the landing, expecting the ice to give.

But it didn't.

It didn't even crack.

Jack's grip tightened on his staff, feeling his power build, ready to let out a burst of frost if he needed it. Dammit, where were Bunnymund and North when he needed them?

Idly, he heard the music on the radio switch to a much faster, more modern-sounding song.

He forced himself to remain calm, swallowing back his fear as he focused on the person in front of him. His eyes widened incredulously. "What –"

Shiny, ruby red combat boots were rooted firmly on the ice, regular-looking jeans tucked into them and clinging to toned legs. Jack continued to look up to see a black shirt with a large, blossoming tribal-printed heart in the center. A brown leather jacket covered the shirt slightly. And then he saw the long, reddish hair. It framed a pale (though not as pale as his) face. A girl's face.

It was a girl. And she was glaring at him like he was the fault of every wrong in her life. A pretty intimidating look. She stood tall, her shoulders squared back as she looked him over. When she shifted her stance a little, Jack could see a huge, silver… bow?

Yeah, it was a bow. She was holding a bow casually behind her legs, like it was the only comfortable pose she could come up with when holding the weapon. But where did that arrow come from? She didn't seem to have any on her.

"Who in the Moon are you?" The girl demanded, oblivious to his ogling.

Jack was (again) taken aback. What was this? Who was this girl? How could she see him? She looked way too old to believe in the Guardians. And who walked around with a bow these days anyway? Then there was the fact that she didn't even break the ice when she dropped onto the pond…

"You… can see me?" He asked.

She gave him a skeptical look. "Uh… _duh_? Now who are you?"

He didn't like the way she was talking to him. Something was definitely off about this, and Jack had no idea how to deal with it. His wide eyes slowly narrowed, and he regained a fighting stance.

"I should be asking you the same question." Jack retorted. "Seeing as you're in my forest."

Whoever she was, the girl saw his change almost immediately. She had her bow whipped out in front of her, wrapping two long fingers around the string and pulling it back. A red arrow materialized as the bow was being strung back. It looked like the other one that had almost hit him, with small red flames that curled around the arrow almost seductively. What the hell? Flames could be _seductive_?

Apparently these were.

The girl gave a challenging smirk in reply. "I didn't see your name on it." She noted.

The snow began to turn into ice around Jack's feet. The air around them dropped a few degrees. If this girl wanted a fight, she was going to get one.

She pulled the string back a little more, the fire around the arrow flaring at his challenge. "I'll ask you again." She said. "I know you're a Legendary. That's the only way you can see me. Now who are you?"

The wind brushed Jack a little shakily. It passed him and ruffled the girl's hair, showing off random pale pink streaks in a sea of dusty red. Of course, the girl didn't notice. No one Jack knew seemed to understand the wind like he did.

"I guess I should start off a little easier." She mused. "Are you one of Pitch's little henchmen, or not? Because I really am busy. You know, with it being two days until Valentine's Day, and all."

And that's when it suddenly clicked.

The red, the heart on her shirt, the bow, the pink lowlights.

"You're _Cupid_?" Jack asked, realizing he sounded like a complete lunatic when he spoke.

The girl gave a sympathetic smile. "Cupid, Eros, it's all the same to me. Call me Cue."

Jack immediately let his guard down then, lowering his staff. "I didn't know you were real. I always thought it was just North, and Tooth, and –"

"Just the _Guardians_?" Cue scoffed. She slowly let the string on her bow back in place, the arrow disappearing in red embers. She dropped her hands to her sides, the bow's tip tapping lightly at the ice when she shifted its weight. "Hardly. Those are just the top four. The ones that are actually _believed_ in. I can understand how you thought you were alone. They have a habit of taking the spotlight."

Jack felt a little defensive at that. He wanted to tell her that he was also a Guardian, but decided against it. She didn't seem to think too highly of them. And he didn't want to make her mad again. "I – I'm Jack Frost." He said lamely.

"Jack." She said, seeming to regard his name as she said it. She suddenly smiled at him. "Well it's nice to meet you."

"Are there more of us?" Jack asked, watching as the girl – well, Cue – walked towards him.

"Yes." She smiled, finally a foot away.

Jack noticed then there were other details about her he didn't notice before. She had a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes were light brown, but when he looked a little harder, Jack could see light flecks of a pinkish-red color. Cool…

Of course, she caught him. Her lips gave a little twitch of a half-smile, making her look like she was about to laugh at him. He quickly looked at anything else but her, clearing his throat slightly.

"A lot more." She continued, the twitch-of-a-smile growing into a crooked smile. Great. "Maybe you could meet them."

Her eyes then shifted to his staff. Hesitantly, she reached out with her free hand. She rested her fingertips lightly on the wood, one of her eyebrows quirking up. It pulsed underneath her touch in a way Jack never felt before. He tensed at the weird sensation, and Cue quickly pulled away.

"I'm sorry." She said immediately. Why was she sorry? In a weird way, he kind of wanted her to do that again. No one had ever touched his staff before, besides Pitch. "I was curious."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cue's bow leaning towards him, a silent agreement that he could touch her weapon if he wanted.

Jack decided to ignore the gesture, and smirked instead. "What did you expect?" He asked.

"I don't know." She smiled again. "I was just curious. What do you do, exactly?"

He shrugged, his feet slowly lifting off of the ground. Her eyes widened in excitement as he slowly sailed over her.

"I'm a winter spirit." He said. "Basically, I do whatever. Blizzards, frosts, snow days, the icicles that hang off of roof gutters –"

"I like those." She said, and Jack smiled back at her.

"I can also do this." He said, picking up his staff and tapping it against one of the trees. Frost instantly began to curl around the bark. Cue had leaned forward to inspect it. That was also interesting, Jack had never seen anyone so appreciative of his work.

It made him want to do more.

He dropped into the middle of the pond. Cue started to walk towards him, but paused when Jack slowly crouched down.

He glanced up at Cue's shirt, committing the sight to memory. When he saw her looking at him a little bewilderedly, he smiled. She smiled back. He slowly put the flat of his hand on the ice.

The ice whispered around his palm and stretched out, crackling along the surface of the pond. He smiled a little as the intricate design unfolded, and left it to create itself.

He then jumped up and glided towards Cue. Once he was in front of her, he dropped to his feet, and took her hand. She was surprisingly warm to him, but then again so was everyone. Maybe he just wanted to think her temperature was different.

"We'll have to be a little higher to see this one." He said, jerking his head towards the rock outcropping next to the pond.

She nodded, letting him lead her up to the highest rock, their hands still intertwined. To his surprise, she could follow his deft movements with relative ease. Also acceptably cool.

Once on the highest rock, Jack helped her to stand next to him. Instead of dealing with letting go of his hand, she was already focused on looking at the pond. For some reason, he was a little glad that she held it. Usually he didn't like constant physical contact either. Like when Toothiana would pry into his mouth, or when North would set his hand on Jack's shoulder, or when the Sandman would tug at his sweatshirt. It always felt so… confining to him. But Cue's hold was light, detached. He was free to slip out of her hand if he wanted.

He was rewarded with the small gasp she made when she looked down at the pond. On the ice was a huge frost tracing of the emblem on Cue's shirt. He glanced over at the girl, seeing her smile growing more excited. He then looked down at the design as well, feeling a little smug that he got the image just right.

"Wow…" She murmured.

"Cool, right?" He grinned.

"Definitely."

**.S.o.C.**

**The link to Cue's outfit is on my profile! It kind of really inspired me to write this story.**


	3. It's as Great as it Sounds

**Is it okay if I tell you that this is becoming a favorite project? I'm having so much fun! Hopefully I'm keeping Jack in-character enough for you guys.**

**.S.o.C.**

**3. It's as Great as it Sounds**

_Like a humming bird in flight you are_

_Hovering, hovering 'round me_

_And I move near you fly away_

_Like a humming bird in flight you are_

_Hovering, hovering near me_

_As I move near you fly away_

_Don't fly away_

_Don't fly away_

_Don't fly away_

Jack drummed his fingers along his staff to the rhythm of the song, following Cue as she danced around the forest.

They talked for a few hours at the pond, and Jack had to nearly force himself to contain his excitement. He met another Legendary. A Legendary almost as famous as the Guardians! He thought she would be a little smug about the fact too, but that was the weird part. She wasn't. It was like she barely even cared.

And for some reason, he kind of liked that.

She was trying to find a way to map out her Valentine's Day route and he decided to come with her. It wasn't like Chicago needed another blast of snow and ice, and it _definitely_ wasn't like Jack wanted to go back to the Guardians. He wanted to get to know Cue, figure her out, and maybe even meet some other Legendaries too.

"So what should we do?" Cue asked, twirling around one of the trees.

Jack smiled a little. "Do?"

"Yeah. You know, an action to partake in, in order to stave off boredom. Valentine's Day isn't for a couple of days, and even then my holiday isn't that special."

Again, he was hit with that weird point of view. Everyone Jack knew with a holiday lived for it. That one day of the year where the other three hundred and sixty-four days were spent planning for it. He knew if he had a holiday, he'd probably act the same way. But _she_ didn't. And that was different. "Why not?"

Cue grappled the trunk of a thin tree, using it to wheel herself around to face him. "_Hello_. I'm Cupid, remember? In mythology I'm a Goddess of love. I kind of skewer people with arrows every day."

"Yeah, about that." Jack smirked as he walked around a few trees. "I always thought Cupid was a guy."

She scoffed at him. "I really don't get how they think that. I mean, seriously. People believe a little kid running around buck naked is going to have enough maturity to deal with people's emotions? They're dreaming. It takes a lot of work to manage pairings. Love, I learned, is a lot like comedy. Timing is everything."

And then, just when Jack thought she was only a flippant girl that didn't care about anything, she was incredibly wise. He couldn't help but stare a little in awe at her.

Cue didn't notice, though. She was still dancing ahead of him. At the perfect beat of the song, she tossed her head to the side, hair flying around her. The red was a stark contrast against the white around them. Everything about her was a stark contrast.

He started walking again, though, picking up speed in order to walk near her again. "So what about the other Legendaries?"

"What about 'em?" She glanced back. "You didn't answer my question, either, by the way."

"I mean, who else is out there?" He asked.

The girl sighed loudly just as another song started playing. This one had deep, rolling bass and a rhythmic rapper. The sound blasted through the silence of the woods. "Well, anyone you can think of, I guess. The Spirit of Hallows Eve, the Saint Patrick's Day Leprechaun, and a few others I can't really remember or haven't seen."

"And the other two? You've seen them?"

"Yeah, we… kind of hang out together." Cue said skeptically, bending around another tree in order to face him again. She then jumped in front of Jack, making him stop short.

She leaned to her toes in order to meet his eyes, staring him down, their faces suddenly inches apart. Jack could once again see the pinkish-red flecks in her eyes that had caught him off guard before, and also noticed the light pinkness of her lips. _Focus, man._

"Why?" She asked.

A little disturbed by the closeness, Jack took a step back. "I don't know – I didn't think there was anyone else out there."

"Uh-huh…" She noted, clicking her tongue against her teeth. Without warning, she twirled around and began to walk ahead, a slight bounce in her steps.

He was confused, still standing in place. Why was she so defensive all of a sudden?

Suddenly, Cue stopped. She turned around to look at Jack, turning down the music on her radio. "Wanna go to a movie?" She asked. "I have a current-canon to pin in Portland. You can tag along if you want."

Again, he was confused. What the hell was a canon? And a movie? Like, at the theatres?

"I don't have money for that…" He said slowly, but faded off when he saw Cue begin to laugh.

He narrowed his eyes at that. What was so funny to her? He wasn't kidding. He was a _Legendary_. Legendaries didn't really do a lot of human things.

She skipped (literally, skipped) back to him, smiling. Once she was in front of him, Jack noticed that the top of her head reached his chin. She nudged his chest with her shoulders (since that was as high as she could reach). She was even smaller than Tooth – and Jack didn't think anyone could be smaller than her.

"Come on, Jack," Cue coaxed, "I've been around a thousand years, give or take a couple of decades. I've got my resources."

He didn't know if it was the mischievous smile on her face, or the fact that he hadn't been faced with the thought of doing something completely exciting and spontaneous in sixty years. But he realized he was absolutely game with whatever Cue had up her sleeve.

When he started to smile back at her, Cue gave a little squeal in excitement. "_Yes_!" She cried out.

She whipped off her bow from across her chest and grabbed Jack's hand with her free one. "Come on, I need some elevation."

They quickly made their way to standing on top of a hill in the middle of a clearing. Jack glanced up at the sky, noticing the beginning of a light snowfall start to descend on his forest. The air around them was thick and quiet, the only noise coming from Cue's radio, which even then was dull.

He looked at her then, seeing a devilish smile on her face. "Wanna see something cool?" She asked daringly.

Jack could only nod, watching as she released his hand, and held out her bow on its side and out in front of her.

Suddenly, a force seemed to pull and angle her to the left, and then a little to the right. Her red shoes twisted in the snow as she her bow seemed to be pulled like a magnet.

"You might want to get a get a good grip…" She suggested calmly.

Wait, a grip? Did she realize what she just said? Jack looked to see that she was too focused on whatever her bow was doing to really register what she said. Jack frowned, looking back at her petite figure. All right, but a good grip _where_?

It looked like she was about to fly forward any second, which made him a little nervous. He slowly stepped behind her, reaching out with a hand to lightly rest it on her shoulder. Yeah, that seemed polite, and not a creepy 'I'm-doing-this-pose-just-to-cop-a-feel' type of touch.

"_Jack_."

His grip tightened. A little. What was her problem? He was trying to be a gentleman here!

Whatever force that was adjusting the bow (and Cue's) direction suddenly stopped. Her weapon was now beginning to tremble in her hands. A tingling rush flew through Jack's hand as a sudden burst of power hit him. It made him realize that something big was about to happen, and he wasn't prepared for it at all.

"Seriously?" Cue demanded.

He snapped into action at that.

Gripping his staff, he positioned it in front of Cue. It landed between her and her bow, in the middle of her arms and diagonally across her chest. With a gruff jerk, he tugged her back against his chest, reaching up with his free hand to grab the lower half of the staff, which made him end up winding his arm around her waist.

Yeah, so much for avoiding the 'I'm-doing-this-pose-just-to-cop-a-feel' approach.

The warmth of her body hit him immediately, but he tried to tell himself not to get too excited about that. That always happened whenever anyone would touch him. The weird part was though, instead of feeling uncomfortable by it, for this one instance, it felt pretty good.

He finally dared to glance at Cue, even though he could only see the side of her face. It didn't seem like she was angry or even complaining, though. He wondered idly if his temperature felt good to her. _Wow, shut up, moron._ He thought to himself.

Cue was already stringing back her bow, the muscles in her shoulders flexing against Jack's chest. Just as she brought her elbow back over Jack's arm, a flaming red arrow burst into life in her hands.

"All right…" She said nervously. "Hold your breath."

Jack braced himself, sucking in a sharp breath.

_Fwip!_

He was a little amazed. The arrow barely made a sound as it left her bow. Cue was perfectly still, like it hadn't taken her an ounce of effort to let the arrow fly.

The air was quiet, nothing happened for a few seconds.

Then suddenly, the world came hurtling straight towards them in a disorienting blur.

**X**

The crunching sounds of car tires driving over slush made Jack think it was safe to open his eyes.

He glanced around him first, seeing that he was standing on a sidewalk, looking out onto a slightly busy main street. People were walking around him, of course not noticing his existence. In front of him was a retro-looking movie theatre. The sky was a dark bluish, purple color. The sun was setting, but the colors weren't going to be seen because the sky was so overcast.

That was also when Jack noticed that he was warm and holding onto something small and soft. He froze when he smelled a faint, florally scent, and felt soft hair brush against his face. A leather jacket brushed against his hands whenever someone took a breath.

And that someone was Cue.

The girl laughed a little, quickly ducking out of his hold, and a cold draft suddenly hit his chest. Realizing he had to breathe, Jack let in a sharp, snow-filled breath, and leaned heavily on his staff. His legs felt like jelly, and he really didn't trust them to keep him standing.

"What was _that_?" He demanded, looking at Cue.

She shrugged offhandedly, finally turning off the music playing from her radio. "There are around seven billion people in the world, Jack, and all of them have soul mates. How do you think I get to them all?"

He suddenly felt like an idiot for asking, and took in another shuddering breath. That was… that was a rush.

And not a very good kind, either.

"Anyways," Cue went on, still grinning. "The movie's about to start. And there's my canon."

Jack followed her gaze to see a couple walking towards the movie theatre. It was a guy and a girl. The guy looked a little nervous, reaching for the girl, and then pulling back like he didn't know what to do. The girl looked upset because he wasn't reaching out to her, not noticing his attempts.

Cue let out a little cooing noise at them, her attitude suddenly changing, and reminding Jack of Tooth whenever she was fawning over teeth. "_Ooohh_! I just love awkward canons!"

Again, Jack didn't understand what she was talking about, but let it slide. Cue was already jumping to attention, pointing at the guy. "He has an _amazing_ taste in movies." She said excitedly. "Anything he picks is going to be great, especially since he's with that girl."

He watched as the guy bought tickets for himself and the girl at a booth in front of the movie theatre.

"This is going to be great." Cue said.

That was when Jack realized he had never really been in a theatre… ever. Sure, he heard of it from the kids he would watch over sometimes, but it didn't make him really excited to ever go. Sitting still for long periods of time wasn't really his thing.

"I don't know…" Jack murmured.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cue's shoulders slump a little. "Don't know what?" She asked, sounding like she was forcing to keep her tone light.

"The… movie. I've never been to one before."

"Really?" She turned around to look at him, arching an eyebrow.

Jack pulled his staff closer to him, frowning. "Yeah."

"Well that just won't do at all." She suddenly smiled reassuringly. "Come on, I do this all the time. You're going to love it, I promise."

She confidently led the way across the street, leaving Jack to (once again) keep up with her. He trotted after her, clutching his staff a little tighter.

The lights throughout the small town began to turn on as the sky got darker. The theatre's many light bulbs were beginning to flicker to life, causing the place to glow. He watched in amazement as people filed through the open doors that led into a huge, dimly lit room.

Cue was already walking with the humans, looking completely at ease with everything happening around her. She'd gotten a few feet ahead of Jack, and turned around just in time to see him beginning to squirm.

She smiled, the bright lights illuminating the twinkling in her eyes. They kind of reminded Jack of the way icicles would sometimes glint in the sun. She was already hopping back toward him, careful not to run into any humans. She stopped just in front of him, peering up into his eyes.

"Please come with me?" She asked. "It does get kind of old, going to these things by yourself."

He didn't really know if she was serious or just trying to make him feel better, but he nodded and forced a lopsided smile on his face. "Yeah, sure."

She nodded as well, and turned back to walk into the theatre, slower this time. He followed suit, carefully shadowing her steps so he wouldn't get lost in the crowd of people.

Inside, the large room was set with dimmer lights. The walls were a dark wine red, and the lighting was a soft yellow. Posters for upcoming movies lined the walls on either sides of them. Ahead was a concession stand, lines outlined with velvet ropes.

A few people in front of them, Jack could see the couple Cue had her sights on.

"Do you want anything to eat?" She asked as they passed a man standing at a small podium. He was tearing pieces of paper people handed to him, handing them back and telling them where to go.

"Eat?"

"Yeah." Cue said, gesturing to the concession stand. "Popcorn? Nachos? Hot dogs? Whatever you like, they have it."

Jack saw Cue's couple walking down a long, dark hallway to the right. "But what about your couple?"

She glanced towards them, and gave them a dismissive wave. "I heard what theatre they're going to. Besides, the movie doesn't even start until seven. We've got fifteen minutes to kill."

Jack watched as she made her way towards the concession stand, once again finding himself a little bewildered. Unlike North or Tooth or Bunnymund, Cue didn't seem to take her job too seriously. In fact, it was like she didn't really care.

She was living a life without any responsibility, just like he did when he was on his own. And, once again, he realized that the freedom really was as great as it sounded.

Finding himself grinning, Jack floated over the throng of people to meet Cue waiting next to a guy. She grinned once she found him standing next to her. "I hope you like popcorn and Coke. That's what this guy is getting."

Jack watched as the person on the other end of the counter set out the popcorn and soda. The man was reaching down to pick up his food, until Cue reached up and snapped her fingers right in front of the man's face. Small, pinkish-red sparks ignited at the sound, and the man suddenly looked like he was in a daze.

"I made him daydream about his girlfriend, who he's getting the stuff for." Cue said as she grabbed the popcorn and drink. "Grab a couple of straws, would you?"

Jack found himself grinning, and quickly snagged two straws and some napkins before sprinting after the girl.

Cue led the way to the right theatre. As she attempted to grasp the door, Jack beat her to it, holding it open for her. She looked back at him and smiled before walking in. He followed her down a narrow, dark hallway. His eyes widened when he saw the giant silver screen that took up an entire wall on his right. To his left, there were chairs – lots of them – that made up the rest of the room, going upwards with a series of stairs.

There were a few people in the room – not surprising since it was a Tuesday night. Cue's couple was sitting in one of the upper rows. The archer was already heading up the stairs towards them.

Jack followed her, relishing the softness of the carpet on his bare feet. He was barely ever inside. As he walked up the stairs, he noticed small lights that lined the edges of the stairs, illuminating the small path in a dull orange.

"I like to keep an eye on them." Cue suddenly said over her shoulder as they settled in a row just behind the couple.

She set the drink in a cup holder found on the armrest of the ugly red chairs, and handed the popcorn to Jack. He cradled the sack in his free arm as he watched the girl sling off her bow and radio, shoving them under the chairs. She flipped her hair afterwards, sighing in relief.

"Ugh, remind me never to take that stupid radio anywhere _ever_." She grumbled, taking the popcorn before folding her seat down and sitting.

Jack smirked a little as she shifted to get comfortable, before sitting next to her and setting his staff on the ground at his feet.

"So… what do we do now?" Jack asked as he pulled the straws out of their wrappers and stuck them into the drink's lid.

"We wait." Cue said, already putting a couple of pieces of popcorn into her mouth. She offered Jack the bag as well. He reached over and grabbed a handful, popping a piece into his mouth experimentally.

It was the weirdest thing he'd probably ever tasted. Salty, buttery, light. It was different, but not in a bad way. He smiled and ate a couple more pieces.

The lights around them suddenly dimmed, and the screen came to life before them. The white light was so blinding Jack flinched back in surprise. He heard Cue laugh, and when he glanced over, he saw she was watching her couple.

**X**

More gunfire popped out of nowhere, Jack's eyes widening when he saw the main character leap out of a window, and land on garbage cans in an alley.

So this was what Jamie kept telling him about? These were movies? Why had he never taken the time to actually see one until now?

"This is amazing." He breathed, grabbing more popcorn from the bag. There wasn't that much left to get, since both teenagers realized they hadn't eaten all day.

"This is a disaster." Cue grumbled. He glanced over at her to see her fold her arms across her chest. She slumped back in her chair, glaring at the couple in front of her.

They hadn't really done a lot during the movie. They didn't talk, or joke, or even share food. It was a little weird, Cue said they were friends. Why were they being awkward now?

"It's different when you realize you love someone in a newer way." She had told him. "It takes time getting used to."

But, apparently to Cue, it was taking too much time. She claimed that everything was there – the desire, the chemistry, the emotion – but something was off. The spark hadn't been ignited.

Jack frowned at Cue. He understood what it was like to be so completely puzzled when it came to doing something you should know inside and out. There were some weird moments when he created snowfalls that would sometimes turn into sleet. Sometimes, even in the job, things would just be out of your control.

Though, maybe he could help.

He slowly leaned forward to the girl sitting in front of him, giving a sideways smirk to Cue. The room was completely dark, the light from the screen casting everything in the room in a harsh glow. Cue was arching an eyebrow at him, the pinkish-red flecks in her eyes standing out in the almost black and white room.

Jack slowly took in a breath, then blew it out, the chilly air hitting the back of the girl's neck. She shivered uncomfortably, but Jack didn't stop. Instead, he glanced over at Cue to see a grin slowly appear on her face.

She leaned forward as well, snapping her fingers next to the boy's ear. The red sparks glowed in the darkness, and the boy suddenly saw the girl shivering. Without missing a beat, he wrapped his arm around the girl's shoulders, and pulled her closer to him.

Cue and Jack leaned into their seats, Cue smiling at him. "So… a winter spirit?" She asked casually.

He shrugged. "Yeah."

She smiled a little, looking back at the movie. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Jack found a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Whatever you're doing, probably."

"And… on Valentine's Day?"

His eyes widened in surprise at that.

Of course, she glanced over at him, and probably took his expression the wrong way. She stared down at her fingers, which were busy intertwining themselves nervously. "I mean, I know it probably wouldn't be fun to watch me run around stabbing people with arrows. But, I can make it fun!"

Jack found himself grinning. "Could you now?"

When Cue looked over at him, he saw her eyes widen in horror, which only made his smile wider.

"Not like _that_!" She snapped. "But – we could do stuff in between couples. But nothing really, uh… Anyways, I only check up on a couple of major cases that day, so we could hang out after, and I'd feel bad for leaving you alone when you don't even really know anyone –"

"Sure." He said, deciding to stop her babbling then. "That'd be cool."

He watched as she smiled, looking down at her clasped hands. "Cool…"

**.S.o.C.**

"**And, once again, he realized that **_**the freedom really was as great as it sounded**_**…"**

**Did you realize what I did there? Did you?! No? Oh… okay…**

**So, how am I doing? I'd love to hear from you.**


	4. Breakups and Bookstores

**Wow, hey guys, what's up? Thank you so much for your reviews, follows, and views. Sorry for the wait!**

**Here's another chapter!**

**.S.o.C.**

**4. Breakups and Bookstores**

A cold gust of wind greeted Cue and Jack as they walked out of the theatre. It was fully night now, the only light coming from the streetlamps that lined the sidewalk. No one was really walking around at this hour. Only an occasional car cruised past.

"So, _Running Blind_ was a good idea, right?" The guy, Garrett, asked his date, Karen.

Karen smiled shyly up at him. "Yeah, it was a great movie." She said.

Cue couldn't help but grin. She loved seeing her canons working well. She hardly ever liked to put in much of her own effort.

"How's it going?" A small puff of cold air hit her neck, making Cue stiffen in surprise.

She glanced around at Jack. He was leaning just over her shoulder, supporting himself on his staff, dark blue eyes looking at the couple expectantly.

"I think they'll be fine." She smiled. "If everything goes according to plan, Karen will kiss Garrett first after their next date. It'll probably be on Valentine's Day, so we may see them again."

"Are they going to…?" He started, then faded off.

"Are they going to… what?"

He looked down at her eyes, his face a few inches from hers. Apparently too nervous with the close proximity, Jack pulled back. He squared his shoulders, suddenly looking a lot colder than she'd seen him. It was a little weird, looking at him. Obviously he was a winter spirit, but Jack Frost was one of the first Legendaries Cue had seen that really embodied what they were about.

"I mean, are they going to be together?" He asked stiffly. "Like, forever?"

Cue hefted her bow slightly, frowning. She looked over at her couple as they were getting further and further away. Garrett had wrapped his arm around Karen's waist, and Karen was stiffly leaning into his side.

"No." She answered. "They're at different paths when it comes to relationships. Garrett values love, and Karen barely understands it. They'll break up in two months."

She heard Jack scoff behind her, and turned around to look at him. His brows furrowed as he looked at the couple. "But – you said they were canon –"

"Yeah, they are. They're written in the script, but that doesn't mean they'll be together forever." Cue said.

"But you're the goddess of romantic _love_." He argued. "It's your job to make people be together forever."

"Yes. I am. I'm in charge of all different types of love. Some loves don't always last that long, but they matter. After this relationship, Garrett is going to meet his match."

She watched him frown, obviously not satisfied with the answer. She smiled a little and nudged his chest with her elbow. He looked down at her, a little pout still on his face. She could admire that it was pretty cute.

"Come on, Frost," she said. "Let's go… do something else."

"Like what?" He asked, his expression brightening a little.

"Well, we could go to Detroit," she mused. "It has some pretty kickass places to go."

"All right," he agreed, shrugging. He still seemed upset, though, his eyes never leaving the couple's retreating forms.

Cue decided against stringing her bow up for Detroit, and reached out to grab Jack's hand instead. She pulled him the opposite direction of the couple, feeling him lurch forward to match her pace.

"I thought we were going to Detroit," he said, catching up to her side. He let his staff rest on his shoulder as he walked, and didn't drop his hand from hers.

"I thought so too," she agreed, "but Detriot's not going anywhere, and neither is Portland. And I just realized there are plenty of fun things to do in Oregon."

**X**

"You know, this could be considered illegal," Jack said snarkily, just hovering above the ground.

Cue was pacing in front of the huge glass windows that let into the store. The temperature around them was dropping by the minute, and she didn't know about the winter spirit, but she needed a warm place to sleep tonight.

She hefted her bow experimentally, finally looking over at the boy. He was leaning forward, smiling his little lopsided smile that hit Cue with a wave of nostalgia. It reminded her of easier centuries, where things had been less complicated. Or maybe they had been more so back then, she wasn't sure.

"Hey now, doing something illegal implies that I follow the rules in the first place," she replied. She gave him a smirk that made Jack grin a little more daringly back at her.

Cue quickly leapt back a few feet until she was in the middle of the empty street, facing the door to the shop head-on. She lifted her bow in front of her, already stringing it back. A little, pleasant zinging feeling jolted through her – like that excited feeling you get when you kiss someone for the first time.

The flames on her bow glowed in the darkness, and poised this way, Cue felt like she was home. All of her muscles aligned, the position she was in being the most comfortable in existence. She doubted anything would bring her more joy. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jack slowly drifting back, watching her with that excited gleam in his eyes.

She focused back on the door, aiming for its lock. Her body steadied, relaxed, and she and her bow became one. The world fell quiet around her, just like it always did. The calm before the storm.

She sucked in a deep breath, wanting this next move to feel just right.

She let go –

_Fwick!_

The arrow shot forward, cutting through the cold night air. It sailed straight through the lock on the door.

Jack landed on his feet, making his way to the door, eyes widening. Cue ran back to the store as well, hoping that she didn't make a fool of herself. Both teenagers watched in slight amazement as the glass door gently swung open. Jack looked at Cue in disbelief, and she answered with a little wave of her bow.

"Pro locksmith." She said smugly, and led the way into the store.

"How did that work?" He demanded.

She shrugged, already stepping past him. "You can find love in anything," she explained. "People, pets, inanimate objects, the grand opening of a store. The trick is to keep your mind open to it."

She was assaulted with the familiar musky scent of books. Smokey, almost leathery. It was like she could practically taste the parchment, glue, the faint minty undertones found within the ink. And then there was the wood. Huge, thick shelves that stood as tall as trees and loomed over Jack and Cue.

"Welcome to the biggest bookstore… ever." She said, grinning back at him. "Close the door, would you?"

Jack was already doing it, smiling a little as he looked around him. "Ever?" He asked.

"Well, maybe not ever," she agreed, "but this is the biggest I've been in."

She led her way towards the back of the first store, jogging down the few steps that led into the next area of the store. "It's made up of five stores," she informed him, "and… I think in some parts it's even a couple of stories tall. I don't know, I haven't stayed long. We can spend the night here, and move somewhere else tomorrow if you want."

"All right." Jack agreed.

Cue was already navigating through the huge store, and she could feel Jack right on her heels. Her boots made deep _thump-thumping_ noises on the wooden floors, and they seemed so loud compared to the thick silence and darkness that surrounded them. For a few fleeting seconds, she felt like she was alone.

But those seconds ended quickly when she felt a cold tingling sensation at her back. Cue glanced around, a little startled at the deep blue that swamped her vision for a few seconds. Jack was right behind her, and since she was so short, her eyes met his chest which was covered by his hoodie. Jack didn't notice, however, because he was looking at the shelves surrounding them. He seemed a little nervous in such tight quarters.

The girl almost stumbled over her own feet as she watched him. He seemed to completely ignore her personal space. Not that she really cared. She understood he was probably a little nervous to be so confined. He was a spirit of nature. He belonged outside. She suddenly felt a little awful for caging him in.

"You look like the roof is going to cave in," she said bluntly.

Jack started, looking down at her in surprise. "No I don't."

"Yes you do." She retorted, but smiled a little ruefully. "If you're not comfortable, you don't have to stay in here. I don't want you to feel forced –"

"It's not that," he disagreed. "I'm just not really used to being inside… well, inside anywhere."

"Really?"

"Winter spirit," he grinned in answer. "My job kind of requires me to be outdoorsy."

His smiles were infectious, Cue noticed, as she smiled back.

"It's nice to have a change of scenery," he went on, looking at his surroundings again. "I never really do a lot of… human things."

"Well, all right." Cue decided, moving through the maze of shelves with more purpose. Jack was right on her heels. "Glad to be of service, Mr. Frost."

He chuckled at her, a surprising sound for her to hear. It was soft, distant, and entirely pleasant to listen to.

Victory swelled a little in Cue's chest as she picked a section of the bookstore that seemed to be the best place to bunk down for the night. The towering bookshelves had seemed to create a small nook. Inside was a ratty couch pushed up against the wall next to a window, and a couple of chairs across from it.

"Is here all right?" She asked him as she walked into the room. She dropped her radio on the floor along with her bow, not exactly waiting for his answer. She shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of one of the chairs, already making herself at home.

"How am I not surprised you'd choose the romance section?" Jack asked. Cue turned around to see him inspecting one of the books on the wall. On the cover, a man was holding a woman in a passionate embrace on top of a cliff at sunset. He looked a little sheepish when she caught him looking at it.

Cue shrugged him off. Love was something that she'd seen fascinate everyone in some way or another. "I'm not usually so cliché," she told him, sitting on the floor with her back to the couch. "I just end up being drawn to people in love – real or fiction, I guess."

Jack shrugged, looking over the books on the shelves. She looked up just in time to see him picking up a black book with a gray tie on the cover –

"Not that one." She informed him, making Jack jump. He looked over at her in surprise.

"It's poorly written," she went on, unlacing her boots. "If you want half-decent bondage porn, you could try _Violette Noir_."

She chucked the shoes across the room, her fuzzy, pink-socked feet aching in relief. She looked up again to see Jack's face turning darker as he stared at the book in his hands, looking nothing short of horrified. His face was flushing purple under his pale white skin. She couldn't stop the laughter that hit her, and felt a little remorseful when Jack sent her a dark look before setting the book back on the shelf.

"You read this stuff?" He asked, a little disgruntled.

"No," she said, still smiling. "I just spend a lot of time in bookstores. People talk."

Jack snorted and walked out of the nook. He was gone for only a few seconds before coming back with a different book in his hands. He leaned his staff on the armrest of the sofa before sitting on the ground next to her, leaning back against the couch.

Finally settled, he flipped through the pages of the book, his upper arm brushing against her now bare one whenever he took in a breath. It set her a little on edge whenever the soft blue fabric of his hoodie would touch her.

It wasn't that Cue felt put off by the close proximity. In fact, she was a little welcome to it. She was the physical manifestation of _love_. Physical intimacy, affection, and finding things that made people wonderful and amazing were kind of her forte. That being said, it was usually her fault when it came to invading people's personal spaces and fawning over them. It'd been one of her main struggles when she first became a Legendary. She just didn't understand why Jack was the same way, at least with the way he was always so physically close to her. He seemed kind like an emotionally distant kind of person.

So, deciding not to deal with it, Cue lunged forward to grab her portable radio-CD player. She skipped through the songs on the mixed CD she made herself, finally settling on a quiet song played with an acoustic guitar. She then set the radio off to the side, and focused on messaging her aching feet.

"Going to read us a bedtime story?" She asked jokingly, glancing over at the book set in Jack's lap. "Oh, _Peter Pan_. Good choice."

"This is _Peter Pan_?" He asked, looking at the book's cover. "It has a different title."

"Over time, you notice stories adapt and change with current culture. I mean, look at me. Little naked male cherub? Yeah right."

Jack smiled a little, flipping back to the first page of the story.

"_The tired old carriage, pulled by two tired old horses, rumbled onto the wharf, its creaky wheels _bumpety-bump_ing on the uneven planks, waking Peter from his restless slumber._" Jack began in a calm, even voice. "_The carriage interior, hot and stuffy, smelled of five smallish boys and one largish man, none of whom was keen on bathing –_"

"Boring," Jack sighed, cutting the story short. He started to flip past more pages.

"It might've just started getting good," Cue disagreed, stretching her legs out in front of her.

"Not likely," he replied, skimming over the pages. "Why can't they start cool stories… well, cool?"

"It's the build-up that makes it cool." She answered.

Jack rolled his eyes, but started reading at the beginning again. She was glad. He had such a lovely voice.

**X**

_Jingle, jingle, jingle, jing!_

"Morning, Dan." A gruff voice greeted someone far off.

A grunt answered the other person.

Cue blinked past the bright sunlight that assaulted her eyes. She felt something cool and soft against her cheek, and resting on the curve of her waist. She frowned, slowly pulling herself up –

Only to come face-to-face with a pale faced boy with entirely too white hair. His head was lolled back against the back of the couch, his mouth slightly open as he snored softly. Almost like an afterthought, she noticed he smelled faintly like peppermint. Her breath was effectively lodged in her throat as she glanced behind her to see that his pale hand was on her waist, long, graceful fingers curling slightly into her T-shirt.

Sometime last night, they'd moved to sitting on the couch to keep reading. On the floor, Cue noticed the small stacks of books piled on the ground they had read through or discarded. Somehow they must've fallen asleep. Cue had fallen asleep on Jack's _stomach_. Which, to her recollection, had been a perfect combination of firm and soft.

_Ugh, Cue!_ She thought crossly to herself. _Those aren't socially appropriate things to think about with strangers!_

She doubted it was socially appropriate to sleep all curled up with strangers, either. But she couldn't help it. Jack had been so inviting, and it was an accident. Her old, fawning tendencies were seeping through again.

It was still a little funny to her. She thought she'd met every Legendary that could possibly exist – she was old enough to believe she had, at least. But then this strange little twig with pale skin, white hair, and dark blue eyes showed up. And didn't know her!

Cue still couldn't believe that one, but she didn't really care. No one ever believed in her in the first place. She was a weird phrase, pictured as a naked baby with bows and arrows (really though?), only thought of on Valentine's Day, and only blamed for relationships gone wrong.

Thinking that over, she wasn't too excited about her holiday. And it was tomorrow. _Ugh_. With that thought, and not wanting Jack to wake up uncomfortable with their sudden closeness, she pulled herself off of the couch. She'd had enough socially awkward situations that would last several human lifetimes when it came to her fawning tendencies, thank you very much. She did not need anymore.

As she pulled on her coat, she glanced back at the boy. Or perhaps he was a young man, she couldn't determine his age. He was sprawled out along his small corner of the couch. His legs were sticking out and resting on the cushion of one of the chairs he pulled over since Cue had taken up the rest of the couch.

She picked up her portable music player, turning it off. She could now officially process the sounds of people walking throughout the store, no doubt setting up for business. She was a little surprised they hadn't heard her music.

After picking up her bow, she used it to prod Jack's side. He jerked a little, waking up with a small, bubbling giggles as he grasped his side. Cue's heart swelled at how adorable he was in that moment, sleep hooded eyes, a little dazed. The fact that he was _ticklish_ was interesting. The little giggles that accompanied the discovery were surprisingly sexy.

_Again with the fawning tendencies_, she thought hopelessly.

More nostalgia hit her as his eyes met hers, a small smile on his face. He seemed so sated, without a care in the world. She was glad at that. When she met him, he seemed rather on edge.

"Hey," she grinned, "hurry up and get yourself together. The store's opening."

He nodded, pulling his feet back from the chair as he lurched up. He stretched his back, and Cue winced when she heard a small pop. She could've picked better sleeping arrangements.

Jack didn't seem to complain though, already reaching to grab his staff. "So what are we doing today?"

"Well, I don't know about you," she said conversationally as she began to lead her way out of the store, "but I kind of want to see what the winter spirit does with his days."

She glanced around to see Jack's small smile turn into a full-on grin.

**.S.o.C.**

**Yay! We get to see what Jack's Legendary duties are! I'm sorry if the pacing of this story seems slow to you guys, I just really want a solid friendship to build between Jack and Cue before the story grows.**

**I think I've fallen in love with Cue's character. She's so quirky, everything she does is a little off. I can't stand her adorableness! I tried to model her 'fawning tendencies' over things after the way Toothiana reacts to teeth. Hopefully that came across to you guys and you don't think she's head over heels in love with Jack?**


	5. Conductors

**.S.o.C.**

**5. Conductors**

Jack felt a wave of anxiety wash over him as soon as Cue's suggestion registered in his ears. She wanted to see what he did? Why? He wasn't anything special. She was the one with the holiday tomorrow, and she did not seem to care in the least. In fact, he almost felt like he should remind her.

"Well, don't you have more couples to visit?" Jack insisted weakly as he followed Cue meander through downtown Portland. A mocha latte was nestled in her hands, mainly being used more as a hand warmer than a drink. "Really, it's no big deal –"

"Jack, please," Cue said calmly. "Trust me, I've got it together. I don't need to work twenty-four-seven like other Legendaries do."

He was a little dumbfounded at that. "Why? Aren't you in control of every possible love out there?"

"Well… yes and no." She mused. "Love controls itself, really. Have you ever seen the Sandman work?"

Lost by the sudden change in conversation, he nodded.

"I love his sand," she admitted quietly. "He uses it to give kids their good dreams."

Jack didn't respond, hoping that his silence would answer her. Of course he knew how the Sandy's sand worked. He wasn't stupid.

Cue was perceptive, and she picked up on his lack of interest, sending him a slight glare over her shoulder. He still didn't say anything, focusing on the slightly slushy sidewalk _squelch_ under his bare feet.

"_Anyways_, do you think the Sandman knows every kid's wish and desire out there? In the entire world? All the time?"

Now Jack felt stupid. He really didn't know the answer to that one, he'd never thought to ask. He waited for her to keep talking.

"He's a conductor," she explained. "He uses the energy of children's dreams in order to manifest them. Dreams are so much more powerful than the Sandman could ever be."

Jack was surprised by the blunt statement. He never thought anything could be stronger than Sandy. Did the Guardian know that he was a conductor? Did he think of himself as one?

"Like dreams, love is a raw force that's wild and unpredictable. Just like a dream can spiral into a nightmare faster than the drop of a hat, love can turn into hate. I'm just a conductor of love, sometimes even a catalyst, like what you saw at the movies last night. Does that make sense?"

Yes, it did. In some ways, it made a little sense. But he didn't understand how this meant she could take a day off work. In fact, it made her seem all the more important in keeping the world balanced. If she wasn't around to conduct love or be a catalyst, wouldn't the world become hateful?

Cue was studying a couple walking down the street near them. They were laughing and holding hands, and Cue's eyes seemed a little sad as she watched them pass.

"People are already programmed to know love," she went on. "It can creep up on them when they least expect it, without me doing anything. They don't really need me."

Jack was shocked, but stayed quiet. He was a little blown away by her confession. None of the Guardians ever talked that way about themselves.

He watched as Cue brought the coffee to her lips, taking a delicate sip, her eyes gazing off into nothing. A sudden, strong urge hit him then. Cue looked so sad, and he had to say something. Without another thought, he said the first coherent sentence that came to mind.

"I think people need you." Jack blurted out.

Her eyes snapped back to him.

Then, ever so slowly, a small smile crept over her features.

"Well, of course they do," she said. It didn't look like she believed her own words. "I'm the one that gives people the one they're meant to be with. My arrows are made of straight, authentic, awe-inspiring love. Getting stuck with one of those puppies doesn't happen every day. I help people who need a little with their relationship, like I did with the canon yesterday, or I give them their other half."

Jack watched her walk ahead again, frowning. Maybe he was glad he didn't have a holiday. Kids had only just started believing in Jack Frost. To never have any recognition his first three hundred years with a whole _day_ dedicated to him would've made Jack give up on the whole thing. He didn't know how Cue still stuck with it. Didn't she say she was a thousand years old?

He loped up to Cue's side, not wanting to leave her. He watched the way she walked, so confident and airy. It was adorable even. Her whole tiny body looked like it was meant for someone to just reach out and hold her. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and Jack could once again catch a glimpse of the dusty pink lowlights of it. Her hair looked incredibly soft and shiny in the overcast light. He wondered if it would feel that way through his fingers.

Cue glanced over at him, and Jack realized he was staring at her too long. He looked away.

He heard a sigh then. "Did I freak you out?" She asked.

Didn't he?

"No," Jack responded immediately. "I just… my job isn't that exciting. It's kind of like yours. I'm a conductor too."

She smiled again. "I just haven't really seen a lot of snow lately. It's what I like most about this time of year – makes the cold at least bearable."

Cue liked snow?

Jack suddenly walked around in front of Cue, plucking up the drink out of her hands. He realized it'd gone cold a while ago. He threw it in the garbage can near them, and stepped behind her. Just like he did when she was using her bow and arrow to transport herself, Jack barred his staff in front of them.

Completely giving into temptation, he pulled her soft, delicate body against his, the relief instantaneous. Even though her bow kind of stuck into his chest uncomfortably, he could feel the rest of her. He didn't realize how badly he wanted to touch her until she was in his arms again. He could feel Cue's body tense in his and heard her suck in a sharp breath.

Not that he'd admit it to anyone, but he kind of liked the sound of that little gasp. Like she was surprised.

"I've never really flown with anyone before," he admitted, "but I promise you won't fall. Grab the staff, and I'll show you what I can do."

"Jack," Cue giggled, reaching out to hesitantly wrap her hands around the staff. Again, it pulsed with that weird tingly feeling he'd never felt before. "I really don't think you realize how sexual that sounded."

Actually, he did. Jack felt his face flush, his body locking around hers.

He read one of those stupid romance books after he was sure Cue was knocked out last night. He just wanted to see what it was all about, and almost wished he hadn't. He was pretty sure his face was flushed the entire time out of embarrassment, and had to put it down at the tenth chapter.

But he wanted to try some of the things he read (and no, not _those_ things, he didn't think he could take that much yet). There was this one thing about flirting, which he remembered hearing Sophie talk about all those years ago. He just never really paid attention to it.

And then Cue showed up. A girl his age that could _see_ him, and dammit, he wanted to experience why Jamie had been so girlfriend-crazy in his teenage years.

But after putting himself out on a pretty thin branch, Cue just had to ruin it. He didn't think she'd come back with pointing out the obvious. In fact, he was kind of hoping she'd do that little gasp again, or maybe say something just as… _sexual_ back. Not make him feel like a stupid little kid.

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes. "You're the goddess of love. Isn't it kind of your thing to make everything sexual?"

She shrugged, and he could feel the rise and fall of her shoulders against him, the physical contact just as fascinating as before.

He slowly pulled her closer, not trying to test his luck, but wanting Cue closer. He wanted to feel the warmth of her body again. He leaned down to the side of her head, his lips just at her ear. "Ready?" He asked.

She nodded.

Without another word, Jack let the wind rustle around them, and shoot them both up into the air.

Cue squeaked in surprise, gripping the staff tighter as she watched the ground get smaller and smaller beneath them. Jack smiled, pulling her a little closer.

But then he felt her slipping.

"J – Jack!" She yelped, her feet dangling a little lower than his and dropping. She didn't have a tight enough grip on the staff. It wasn't supporting her weight. "_Jack_!"

She dropped.

"_Jack!_"

Jack was already diving down, his heart leaping up into his throat. She was _so_ going to hate him now. "I've got you!" He shouted.

She only fell a few feet, but it was enough to spike him into an anxious mess. He swooped down and slung his arms around her waist, pulling her body tightly against his. He felt her arms wind around his neck, her fingers tightening into the fabric of his sweatshirt. He could feel her ragged breathing push her chest against his with every inhale.

Jack kept incredibly still, floating through the air. A gentle breeze fluttered past, and Cue gripped him a little tighter when it did.

"I've got you," he said again, dumbly. Her hair flew in his face with another breeze, bringing with it a light florally smell. That was pretty interesting.

Cue pulled away a little, still holding on tightly to him, giving herself enough room to smack him on the chest. "Don't _do_ that!" She commanded, her brown eyes flaring in anger. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her nose was scrunched up in anger, light pink lips pursed.

He smiled at her expression, laughter bubbling up from his chest with a happiness he hadn't felt in years.

"What's so funny?" She demanded. "Jack _Frost_!"

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Your face, though. It was pretty priceless."

She smacked his chest again, but lost her grip and slipped. Her eyes widened in horror and a shocked gasp left her, but Jack tightened his grip on her waist. She immediately grappled him again, holding onto him tightly.

"I've got you." Jack smiled.

Cue groaned into his hoodie. "Jerk."

**X**

"Yeah! Snow day!" A child shouted as he ran outside to join his friends on the sidewalk. They seemed so gleeful, and normally Jack would soak up their excitement. But today, all Jack could feel was dread.

Snow was falling as the children tried to decide what games to play. Big, fat flakes drifted out from the sky and layered the ground. Jack made the weather so beautiful today to impress the girl sitting in the trees beside him. Even though he was proud of his work, his chest felt like it was being constricted.

His heart was hammering painfully. Was he really about to do what he was thinking of doing?

A delicate hand rested on his shoulder, making Jack turn around to look at Cue. She was smiling at him, a calm kind of smile that somewhat put him at ease. "Now what do we do?" She asked.

"Well…" Jack said, knowing exactly what he would do next. But the more he was looking at those kids, the heavier his heart felt.

Could he really do it again? After everything that happened, could he really face the kind of pain Jamie put him through again? So soon? It was still so raw, tearing away at his thoughts every second of every day. Had this really been such a good idea?

The kids started running to an empty lot in their neighborhood – a place Jack especially made sure to cover with snow. They would probably have a snowball fight as soon as they got there. Longing coursed through his veins, reminding him of how everything actually used to be fun.

"Jack?" Cue asked, her voice light and careful. He glanced over at her, seeing her brownish-pink eyes wide and open.

At that, Jack immediately snapped out of it. She wouldn't care about his stupid little sob-story. There was no way he was going to tell her. Besides, he had to get over it sooner or later. So why not sooner?

He plastered on a smile that he felt waver, and he swooped out of the tree before she could see. He stuck his hands in the pocket of his hoodie, his staff hanging off his shoulder casually. "Now we go start an epic snowball fight."

He waited until she clambered out of the tree, hopping down at Jack's side. The two walked along the path taken by the children, Jack already deciding he wanted to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.

Cue brushed his side with hers. He looked down to see her smiling up at him. "Look who doesn't seem so excited about their job now," she teased gently.

He smiled too and shrugged. "Done it once, done it a million times," he lied. "Gets a little old after a while."

She scoffed and shook her head, shaking out some of the snowflakes that collected in her hair.

Jack realized she was a lot more observant than he thought. With a sudden blast of fear, he wondered if she'd seen through him the entire time. Was she going to get tired of him? He didn't think he'd really like that. He just met her! Going back to the company of the same four people for eternity didn't seem all that thrilling.

"I don't work with children, since they're so prone to loving everyone and everything in sight." Cue informed him. "It must be such a joy to be around happiness like that all the time."

Yeah, it's such a joy for them to grow old and not believe in you, or grow old and _die_.

Before Jack could say anything, they were at the vacant lot. The kids were standing around, trying to come up with ideas. A couple were a few feet away from the group, looking like they were plotting something.

Jack held out his free hand, a perfect snowball beginning to form out of thin winter air. He noticed Cue looking at it in awe.

He looked down at her, giving her a wink when their eyes met, before he cucked the snowball forward, hitting one of the scheming children in the back of the head.

The boy Jack hit whipped around, an accusing look on his face as he tried to find the culprit. "Who did that?" He demanded.

Without really finding the answer, he drew up a snowball in his tiny hands, and lobbed it another unsuspecting kid.

War broke out seconds later.

Jack felt his excitement grow at the sight, wistfulness practically making him fly while tearing out his heart at the same time.

But then they looked up at him.

And the unbearable, excruciating pain hit.

"Jack Frost!" One of the kids, a girl, shouted excitedly. Jack remembered her. Her name was Barbra.

All of the kids looked at him then, some even beginning to grin. A painful surge of wistfulness made him flinch. Those faces – they were so familiar.

"Hey, guys," Jack said casually, hoping that he sounded casual. "Cool day, right?"

"I _knew_ it was you!" One of the boys who'd been scheming up a snowball fight yelled. Robbie. He punched one of the other boys in the arm. "I told you so!"

"Where've you been, Jack?" A girl asked, frowning at him. Jack's expression fell as soon as she asked that. "There's hardly been any snow this year."

"Come on, Katie!" Robbie snapped. "It's not his fault if he can't make it snow here all the time!"

Jack shrugged in agreement. "Which is why," he said, holding out his free hand. In it, the perfect snowball began to form. "I wanted to give you guys a snow day. And…"

He suddenly chucked the snowball forward, landing into the chest of another boy. "I came to start a fight. You guys against me."

Cue giggled as the children gathered up snowballs, and started charging towards Jack.

**X**

Jack thought his day would end in Burgess. Sitting in front of his pond, by himself, sulking through another sleepless night.

But Cue couldn't tolerate the cold like he could. And since he didn't want to really even leave her for a night, he decided to spend the night with her again.

This time, the Legendary chose a small florist shop. When walking in, Jack saw all of the bouquets already set up for tomorrow's rush. Lush rosebuds, carnations, and tulips seemed to be in bloom throughout the entire store.

Cue nestled herself in a small alcove in the midst of some larger vases of flowers – set on the floor because they were so large. Her radio was right next to her, playing a light, acoustic tune that seemed to showcase the lightness a perfect relationship could bring someone. She hummed along to the lyrics, her head leaned back against the wall, and her eyes were closed. She seemed to be concentrating on something, because her delicate eyebrows were furrowed a little.

Jack decided to leave her alone and look around the flower shop at the various flowers. He tried not to get too close to them so his cold skin wouldn't make them wilt faster. He didn't think this place was a clever place to spend the night, but it was the night before Cue's biggest day of the year. She probably needed total focus.

He paused at one of the floral arrangements in particular. It wasn't like the roses and carnations around it. This one was small, pretty average looking compared to everything else. The flowers in the arrangement were small buds, white, with a red carnation in the very center.

"Those are primroses," Cue said, making Jack jump. He looked down to his left to see her looking at the flowers. "They're meant for young lovers. They symbolize an innocent love. The red carnation in the center shows deep, passionate love. This could be interpreted as someone falling hard for another person."

"Oh," he said dumbly.

She reached out to touch the soft buds, and smiled to herself.

Before he could stop himself, Jack asked, "What are you thinking about?"

The smile dropped from her face.

"My route. For tomorrow," she said. "I have a lot of people to visit. It's going to be a long day. Are you still up for it?"

"Yes." He replied. "Actually, I'm excited for it."

Cue shot him a funny look. "That makes one of us."

**.S.o.C.**

**If you liked it, please comment!**


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